Presidents: Not long for this office

Franklin Roosevelt was president for 12 years. Bill Clinton managed eight years in office, and so did Ronald Reagan, despite an assassination attempt early on.

American presidents typically make it through at least a full term in the White House. But their job is an arduous and dangerous one, and many who hold it don't stick around nearly that long, thanks to assassins or illness -- or in some cases, bad political moves.

With the arrival of President's Day, here's a look at the six presidents with the shortest tenures -- including one who only made it through a single month. Here they are, in chronological order:

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William Henry Harrison (1773-1841)

Tenure: Ninth president. March 4, 1841 -- April 4, 1841.

Why so short? He caught pneumonia after delivering an inaugural address in the freezing rain, which eventually led to his death just a month after taking office.

Known for: Being the first president to die in office. His inaugural address was about an hour and 45 minutes, one of the longest. Harrison's campaign slogan, "Tippecanoe and Tyler Too," is widely remembered. It referred to the nickname given to him after winning the battle of Tippecanoe, where he fought against the American Indian chief Tecumseh. (And Tyler too? That was his running mate, John Tyler.)

What he said: "Sir, I wish you to understand the true principles of government. I wish them carried out. I ask nothing more." -- Spoken in delirium to Vice President Tyler shortly before Harrison died.

Furthermore: Harrison took office the same year the Supreme Court freed 39 slave mutineers from the ship Amistad.

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Zachary Taylor (1784-1850)

Tenure: 12th president. March 5, 1849 -- July 9, 1850.

Why so short? Taylor fell ill after a July Fourth celebration and died, apparently of cholera.

Known for: Taylor was a staunch nationalist who threatened to lead the Army personally to recapture any states that seceded from the Union. He made a career out of the Army, serving in the War of 1812, the Indian Wars against Blackhawks and the Seminoles, and the Mexican War. Taylor kept slaves, and the issue of slavery dominated his presidency.

What he said: "I am conscious that the position which I have been called to fill, though sufficient to satisfy the loftiest ambition, is surrounded by fearful responsibilities."

Furthermore: Rumors that he was poisoned were disproved after Taylor's body was exhumed in 1991 and tested.

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James A. Garfield (1831-1881)

Tenure: 20th president. March 4, 1881 -- Sept. 19, 1881.

Why so short? Garfield was shot by a man who had wanted a consular post but was rejected. He died 80 days later.

Known for: Garfield served the Union in the Civil War and spoke in favor of abolition. He won the race by a close margin of 10,000 votes, and the American Red Cross was organized during the short time he was president.

What he said: "Fellow citizens, God reigns and the government at Washington still lives." -- Spoken after he came upon a mob threatening to riot after Abraham Lincoln's death. His speech subdued the crowd.

Furthermore: He was the first left-handed president.

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Warren G. Harding (1865-1923)

Tenure: 29th president. March 4, 1921 -- Aug. 2, 1923.

Why so short? Harding died of a heart attack while returning from a trip to Alaska.

Best known for: Harding's administration was riddled with scandals. The most notorious was the Teapot Dome affair, involving the Secretary of the Interior Albert Fall, in which oil-rich public lands in Wyoming were exploited by private companies acting with Cabinet officials.

What he said: "I have no trouble with my enemies. But my ... friends ... they're the ones that keep me walking the floor nights."

Furthermore: He was the first president whose voice was broadcast over the radio. It was a speech dedicating the Frances Scott Key Memorial in Baltimore.

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John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)

Tenure: 35th president. Jan. 20, 1961 -- Nov. 22, 1963

Why so short? Kennedy was killed by an assassin's bullet in front of thousands as his motorcade wound through a Dallas street.

Best known for: He was the youngest man elected President. Kennedy championed equal rights, and called for civil rights legislation. He created the Peace Corps and the Alliance for Progress, extending American idealism to developing nations. But he is also remembered for allowing the Bay of Pigs invasion, a failed attempt to overthrow Cuba's communist government. Later he came face-to-face with the Soviets in the Cuban Missile Crisis, the closest the United States has ever come to nuclear war.

What he said: "And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." -- From his inaugural speech.

Furthermore: Wrote the Pulitzer Prize-winning book "Profiles in Courage."

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Gerald R. Ford (1913- )

Tenure: 38th president. Aug. 9, 1974 -- Jan. 20, 1977.

Why so short? Ford took office after Richard Nixon resigned amid the Watergate scandal, and lost the subsequent election to Jimmy Carter.

Best known for: Pardoning former President Richard Nixon. Ford said he did it to end the public preoccupation with Watergate, but it was received negatively. Ford inherited long-standing problems when took office, including the Vietnam War, rising inflation and a mistrusting public thanks to the Watergate scandal. His "Whip Inflation Now" plan, designed to ease the struggling economy, was ineffective.

What he said: "I assume the presidency under extraordinary circumstances. ... This is an hour of history that troubles our minds and hurts our hearts."

Furthermore: Ford was never elected vice president, either. He took over after Spiro T. Agnew resigned.